SQL Select Statement


The SELECT statement selects columns of data from a database.

The tabular result is stored in a result table (called the result set).


The SELECT Statement

The SELECT statement selects columns of data from a database.

Use it to SELECT information FROM a table like this:

SELECT column_name(s) FROM table_name


Example: Select Columns from a Table

To select the columns named "LastName" and "FirstName", use a SELECT statement like this:

SELECT LastName,FirstName FROM Persons

The "Persons" table:

LastName FirstName Address City
Hansen Ola Timoteivn 10 Sandnes
Svendson Tove Borgvn 23 Sandnes
Pettersen Kari Storgt 20 Stavanger

The result:

LastName FirstName
Hansen Ola
Svendson Tove
Pettersen Kari


Example: Select all Columns

To select all columns from the "Person" table, use a * symbol instead of column name like this: 

SELECT * FROM Persons

The result:

LastName FirstName Address City
Hansen Ola Timoteivn 10 Sandnes
Svendson Tove Borgvn 23 Sandnes
Pettersen Kari Storgt 20 Stavanger